“Damages” finale delivers

So, was it good for you? Damages ended its first season last night and those (sadly, few)of us who sat through every twist and turn of this exquisitely twisty,turny legal thriller finally got to see all the pieces of this complexmoral jigsaw puzzle fit into place. Stepping back and looking at thefinished whole, I have to say wow.

***Spoiler alert, so if youhaven’t finished watching, what are you waiting for?***

The finale managed to bothsatisfy and leave you hungry for more. While we found out who killedDavid in the penultimate episode, last night’s show answered just aboutevery other burning question. And while the payoff of finally findingout who did what and why was great, it almost wasn’t the point. Alongthe way, the series has morphed from a classic murder-mystery whodunnitto an in-depth character study in morality, or, more precisely, immorality.

From the show’s rivetingpremiere (which I watched so intently, I almost forgot to breathe) andthroughout its 13-episode run, Damages has never ceased to impresswith its sophisticated storytelling, nuanced acting and operatic cinematography.But I’ve been most impressed by its inherent trust that the audiencewas smart enough to navigate its treacherous ethical minefield. Wasit perfect? Of course not. The stalker girlfriend red herring was unnecessaryand Patty’s lingering grief over a stillborn daughter came outof left field. But the real treat week after week has been watching Glenn Close and Rose Byrne square off as intelligent, powerfuland independent women. And, sure, the power suits didn’t hurt either.

How many other shows have givenus such strong, albeit it morally challenged, lead female charactersas Patty Hewes and Ellen Parsons? Heck, how many other shows revolvearound two female characters, period? And what other series allows itsrich cast of characters to reveal themselves so completely? While itwould be easy to make cartoon villains out of ruthless litigators likePatty or corporate raiders like Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson,showing layers never seen on Sam Malone), the series resisted all suchshorthand and instead waded happily into the murky gray area that definesreal life. Seldom are we all good or all bad. Even the most evil amongus have good qualities, and the most virtuous have weaknesses.

FX has yet to renew Damages,which is a true shame. I don’t know if I’ve seen another finalethat so brilliantly tied up the season’s loose ends, yet somehow managedto unravel a whole new set to potentially be explored next year. Throughoutthis season, I kept wondering how the show could possibly come backfor a second season if the Frobisher case got resolved. Now, I couldn’timagine not finding out what happens next. Patty vs. Ellen Part II?I hope I remember to breathe.